The American Library Association Announces the 2022 Youth Media Award Recipients

This award is given to the most outsanding contribution to children’s literature, which was The Last Cuentista, written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levin Querido.

Recognized for the most distinguished American picture book for children, Watercress, illustrated by Jason Chin and written by Andrea Wang was published by Neal Porter Books.

This award recognizes an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper was this years recipient, and was published by Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Groups, Inc.

Me (Moth), written by Amber McBride, was chosen for this award and was published by Feiwell and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group.

The recipient of this award was The Me I Choose to Be, illustrated by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt, written by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, and published by Little, Brown, and Company

Nikki Grimes is the winner of the Coretta Scott King— Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Grimes has been widely recognized for her distinguished contribution to children’s and young adult literature, winning numerous major awards. After more than seventy-seven books, she has sealed her legacy by weaving poetry and novels in verse into an impressive body of writing.

For excellence in literature written for young adults, Angeline Boulley’s Firekeeper’s Daughter was the winning recipient. This title was published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

This award is given to books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.

Ages 0 to 8 winner: My City Speaks, written by Darren Lebeuf, illustrated by Ashley Barron, and published by Kids Can Press Ltd.

Ages 9 to 13 winner: A Bird Will Soar by Alison Green Myers and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Ages 14 to 18 winner: Words in My Hands, written and illustrated by Asphyzia and published by Annick Press, Ltd.

This award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences.

Grace Lin, author of The Ugly Vegetables, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Ling & Ting: not Exactly the Same, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, and others was awarded.

Alma’s Way, produced by Fred Rogers Productions, was awarded this title for creating a distinguished digital media for an early learning audience.

A.S. King was chosen for this award due to a lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. King’s works include Ask the Passengers, Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, and others.

Recognized as an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.

The winner was Temple Alley Summer written by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Miho Satake, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, and published by Yonder: Restless Books for Young Readers.

For best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States.

Children’s Winner: Boogie Boogie, Y’all, produced by HarperAudio/Katherine Tegen Books is the winner for children. Written and narrated by C.G. Esperanza.

Young Adult Winner: When You Look Like Us, produced by HarperAudio/Quill Tree Books. It was written by Pamela N. Harris and narrated by Preston Butler III.

These awards honor Latinx writers and illustrators whose children’s and young adult books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.

Youth Illustration Award Winner: ¡Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge, illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez and was published by Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Author Award Winner: The Last Cuentista written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levine Querido.

Young Adult Author Award Winner: How Moon Fuentes Fell in Love with the Universe written by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

This award goes to a work that is considered to be the most distinguished informational book for children. 

The winner was The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art, written by Cynthia Levinson and illustrated by Evan Turk, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS.

Given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience.

Stonewall Book Awards— Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award Winner: Too Bright to See written by Kyle Lukoff and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Stonewall Book Awards— Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award Winner: Last Night at the Telegraph Club written by Malinda Lo and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

For the most distinguished beginning reader book, Fox at Night, written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, was the recipient.

This award is given out to a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.

The Firekeeper’s Daughter, written by Angeline Boulley and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, was selected.

Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield, written by Gail Jarrow, published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers.

These awards were established to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians and Alaska Natives. Selected titles present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts.

Picture Book: Horizon written by Daniel W. Vandever [Diné], illustrated by Corey Begay [Diné] and published by South of Sunrise Creative.

Middle Grade Book: Healer of the Water Monster, written by brian Young [Diné], cover art by Shonto Begay [Diné], and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Young Adult Book: Apple (Skin to the Core), written by Eric Gansworth [Onodaga], cover art by Filip Peraić and published by Levine Querido.

This award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literacy and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature.

Picture Book Winner: Watercress, written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin and published by Neal Porter Books.

Children’s Literature Winner: Amina’s Song, written by Hena Khan and published by Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

The Youth Literature Winner: Last Night at the Telegraph Club, written by Malinda Lo and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. 

Picture Book Winner: The Passover Guest, written by Susan Kusal, illustrated by Sean Rubin and published by Neal Porter Books, Holiday House.

Middle Grades Winner: How to Find What You’re Not Looking For, by Veera Hiranandani and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Young Adult Winner: The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros and published by Inkyard Press

Jane Yolen was recognized as an author who has made a substantial contribution over time to the genre of Jewish children’s literature.